Ballot security response inadequate: audit

THE Australian National Audit Office says the electoral commission's response to calls for greater ballot security measures was inadequate.

AAPMay 8, 20143:24pm

THE Australian Electoral Commission failed to adequately respond to warnings about the transport and storage of ballot papers made years before the West Australian Senate debacle.

An Australian National Audit Office report into the security of ballots during last year's federal election is scathing of the AEC, saying the commission failed to react to recommendations made in 2010.

The AEC has been under fire over its botched handling of the poll, with the loss of 1370 ballot papers forcing a fresh WA Senate vote in April.

The 2010 audit by the ANAO found the AEC needed to improve the security of ballot papers during transport and storage.

However, in its report released on Thursday, it says the commission adopted a narrow interpretation of the recommendation, which resulted in "inadequate action" being taken.

The commonwealth auditor said the AEC response to the 2010 recommendation - training employees about better ballot security - simply reinforced existing practices within the commission.

"It did not involve the identification and assessment of options that would improve on past practices and provide greater physical security of ballot papers during transportation and storage," the report said.

The 2013 WA Senate election was dubbed a "disaster" by former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty after his investigation into the missing ballot papers.

The debacle claimed two scalps, with the resignations of Australia's electoral commissioner Ed Killesteyn and WA's electoral officer Peter Kramer.